Nut-shelling machine



em, H924. M30259 R. A. GLEASON NUT SHELLING MACHINE Filed 'Nov. 8, 192.2 a 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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y mww ATTORNEY Filed Nov. 8, 1 2.2 7 Sheetg-Shet? ATTORNEYS.

Filed Noy. 8, 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 l I I I l I .lll

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Sept. 3%; 11924. wmzw R. A. GLEASON NUT SHELLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8, 1922 TSh-eets-Sheet g mw j waa ATTORNEYS.

I I 1 R. A. GLEASON NUT SHELLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8, 1922 smm 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept 30, 1924.

R. A. GLEAS'ON NUT SHELLINGMACHINE Filed N s, 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

Sept. 30, 1924. mswgzss R. A.. GLEASON NUT SHELLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8, 1922 7 SheetsSheet 7 I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 30, 1924.

RALPH A. GLEASON, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

NUT-SHELLING MACHINE.

Application filed November To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH A. GLnAsoN. a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Nut-shelling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to nutshelling machines and more particularly to those of the kind adapted for the shelling of the species of nuts which are of elongated or substantially oval shape, such as pecan and hickory nuts.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel. and improved machine of this class, whereby the shell of each nut is cut and then split or rende'd in such a manner ast-o enable all of the resulting fragments or parts of the shell to fall away or to be otherwise easily separated from the nut kernel, and to avoid crushing or mutilation of the kernel or embedding of shell fragments or splinters therein, so that the kernel can be obtained intact or unbroken and also free from shell fragments or particles, and expensive hand picking, which has heretofore been required, is avoided.

In carrying out the invention as applied more particularly to the shelling of pecan nuts, which have nearly solid ends connected by a longitudinal interior dividing membrane, on the opposite sides of which the kernel halves lie, the shell is first cut to form grooves which encircle the shell transversely and adjacent to its respective ends, these grooves being preferably located as close as practicable to the four ends of the kernel halves and extending through the thickness of the shell, or substantially so, at these points,but leaving the ends of the shell attached to and held in place by the longitudinal dividing membrane. As the ends of the shell in nuts of this kind oifer great resistance to the cracking or rending of the shell body, the grooving or cutting through of the shell at substantially the unctions of the shell ends with the intermediate shell body, removes from the shell body the strength naturally afforded by the shell ends. While the shell is in this condition, its intermediate or body portion is acted on by de vices which rend or split the shell body a relatively slight transverse movement being sufiicient for this purpose, and hence crushingof. the kernel and consequent embedding of shell fragments therein, are avoided. The

Serial No. 599,692.

shell-rending devices preferably split the body of the shell into separate longitudinal segments which will fall away or may be easily separated from the remainder oi the nut, the kernel halves being thus freed intact, and the ends of the nut and the dividing membrane will remain attached to one another, so that the whole halves of the hernel can he recovered in marketable form from the different parts of the shell by screening or other simple mechanical treatment, thus avoiding the labor and XPGHSG of hand picking and separating, as heretofore, required, there. being no fragments of the shell or the bitter membrane embedded in or otherwise mixed with the kernel halves.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements and combina tions and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the features of novelty being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the speci fication.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a top plan view of a nut shell ing machine constructed in. accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention;

F igur 2 is a side elevation of the machine as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the machine as viewed from the right in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail view of the nut feeding means, the end cutters and the nut positioning and cracking aws, this view being partly in section on the line t--lt of Figure 5;

Figure represents that portion of the machine shown in Figure 4: in section along the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a detail view showing, on an enlarged scale, the nut feeding means, the end cutters and the positioning and cracking jaws priorto the positioning of a nut relatively to the endcutters and the jaws;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure '3 showing the end cutters retracted after cutting the ends of the nut, the nut being gripped by the cracking jaws;

Figure 8 represents a transverse section on the line 8-8 of Figure 7, the nut being shown under the action of the cracking jaws;

Figure 9 is a detail view of mechanism for controlling the locking pin for one of the cracking aws;

Figure 10 1s a face view of the cam whlch llO I nuts successively and one at a time to causes the end cutters to move to and from operative position; and

Figure 11 is a face view of the cam which actuates the nut positioning and cracking jaws.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

The present invention is applicable generally to machines for shelling nuts of the the different functions may be used and these will be included within the scope of the claims.

The machine shown in the present instance comprises a suitable frame to support the various elements or working parts of the machine, the frame shown in the presentinstauce comprising a pair of duplicate side members 1, which are connected rigidly atthe front by an end member 2, and a bracket 3 rigidly connects the rear portions of the side frame members. The frame supports bearings t in which are journalled a main driving shaft 5, and. bearings 6 in which is journalled a cam shaft 7, the latter carrying suitable cams by which each revolw tion of the shaft 7 causes the various mech anisms of the machine to perform a complete cycle. The cam shaft 7 may be driven in any suitable way from the driving shaft 5, as, for example, by suitably' proportioned pulleys 8 and 9 fixed to the shafts 5 and 7, and a conncctmgbelt 10. The shaft 5 is preferably driven in a clock wise direction, as is indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, by a belt 11 or other appropriate means, and the cam shaft 7 is preferably driven in av counter clockwise dir--ction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig ure 2, the belt- 10, when such is need, being crossed for this purpose.

The machine in its preferred embodiment and'a-s her in shown, embodies a conveyer or other suitable means for conducting the the point where the cutting and cracking operations are performed. A chain or other flexible conveyer 12 is shown for this purpose in the present instance, it having a series of pockets 13 mounted thereon, and the pockets being preferably concaved, so as to receive and hold the nut in position therein with its longitudinal axis arranged preferably longitudinally of the chain or conveyer. The nuts may be introduced, one into each pocket of the conveyor, by any suitable means, and the conveyor conducts the nuts successively and one at a time to the shelling point. The conveyor may be supported and guided in any suitable way, its upper end being shown in the present instance as passing over a sprocket Wheel 14 which is journalled loosely on a sleeve 15, which latter is fixed in the upper portion of the front frame member 2. The conveyer is intermittently advance in such direction that each pocket on the upper side of the conveyer and which contains a nutto be shelled is successively brought into a position where the nut. may be removed to enablethe shelling operation to be performedthereon, this pocket remaining in such position until the shelling operation has been performed and the shelled nut, or its constituents, is returned to the pocket, whereupon this pocket advances a step to another position where the shelled nut is discharged from the pocket. An inclined chute 16 leading to a suitable receptacle maybe placed in" position to receive the shelled nuts discharged successively from the conveyer. Any suitable means may be provided for imparting the requisite intermittent or step-by-step movement to the conveyer. Preferably and as shown in the present instance, the conveyer, after passing over the upper sprocket wheel 14, engages a sprocket wheel 17 which is fixed on a shaft 18, the latter being suitably journalledfin the frontframe 2, this sprocket wheel 17 guiding the conveyer,so as to clear adjacent parts of the machine and also serving to drive the conveyer through suitable mechanism, as, for example, a gear 19 which is fixed to the shaft 18 at the rear side of the front frame 2, anintermediate or idler gear 20 which is loosely mounted on a shaft 21 fixed in the frame 2, and a main driving gear 22, the latter being loosely mounted on a shaft 23 which latter is fixed in the frame 2. The gear 22 carries on its rear side a set of rollers or projections 24 which are spaced at intervals corresponding to the successive positions occupied by the gear wheel 22 in bringing the pockets of the con veyer successively 'into "operative relation with the shelling devices A cam 25 fixed on the shaft 7 and having a rib 26 with helically pitched ends on its periphery is arranged to cooperate successively with the rollers or projections 24 and to thus ro tate the gear wheel 22 one step during each revolution of the cam shaft 7. Preferably, the rib 26 has a helical pitch through a relatively small part of. the circumference of the cam 25, so that theoperation of ad vancing the conveyor will require only a during the upward movement of the lever small part of the revolution of the cam shaft, the remainder of the rib engaging between adjacent rollers or projections 24 and thus holding the conveyer'in stationary position while the nut shelling operations are being performed on each nut. By this arrangement the rib 26 on the cam 25 will operate at the proper period in each revolution of the cam shaft 7 to advance the wheel 22 one step, the Wheel22 being held from movement during the intervals between its advancement, and each advance of the wheel 22 will revolve the gears 20 and 19, and the latter gear will advance the sprocket wheel 17 which engages and serves to advance the conveyer. I

Means is provided forremoving each nut from its pocket in the conveyor as such pocket reaches the shelling position, and to position the nut for the performance of the shelling operations thereon. Preferably and as shown in the present instance, the nut is removed from its pocket by means which also, assists to position the nut for the end cutting operation and to crack or rend the shell. In the particular construction shown, the bottom of each conveyer pocket is provided with a pair of slots or openings 27, through which a pair of jaws 28 are movable. These jaws are carried by a lever 29, it being preferable to-removably insert these jaws in the upper end of this lever, substantially as shown, the lever 29 being curved in the present instance, at its forward end, to clear ad j acent parts of the machine, the lever being pivoted at its rear end on the pin 30, which latter is supported by the bracket'3. Any suitable means may be employed for swingi'ng the lever 29 upwardly and downwardly at appropriate intervals, so that its jaws 28,

7 will pass upwardly through the slots 27 in thebottom of a conveyor pocket 13, thus removing the nut from'this pocket and conducting it to the position where it is operated upon by the end cutters and then lowered to return the shelled nut or its constituents to the pocket. v As shown in the present instance, the lever 29 carries a roller or projection 31 which is mounted at a point intermediately of the length. of the lever, this roller engaging in. a suitably shaped groove 32 formed in the side of a cam 33, the latter bein xed on the cam shaft- 7, By referring td Figure 2 which shows the cam groove 32 in dottedlines, it will be observed that this groove is shaped so as to cause the lever 29 to move into its upper position and to remain in such position during approximately a half revolution ofthe cam shaft 7, and to cause the lever 29 to descend and to remain in its lower position during substantially the remaining' half revolution of the cam shaft.

The jaws 28 on the lever 27 will determine jaws 34 and 35 to dwell the height to which the nut is elevated for the perfori'nance of the shelling operation, and cooperating means is provided forpositioning the nut laterally while supported by the jaws 28. As shown in the present instance, such means comprises additional pairs of jaws Bet and which are removably or otherwise suitably inserted in the upper ends of a pair of levers 36 and 37, the aws 34 and 35 being set at reverse inclinations on opposite sides of the line of movement of the jaws 28. Preferably, the jaws 28, 34: and 35 are so mounted that when they are brought toward one another and into operative engagement with a nut, the edges of these jaws will contact with the shell of the nut at approximately equidistant intervals around its transverse circumference. The levers 36 and 37 are pivotally mounted at points intermediately of their length on pins 38 and 39, these pins being supported by a bracket 40 which is suitably fixed to the front frame 2, as by the bolts 41. The intermediate portions of the evers 36 and 37 are preferably forked, as shown, in order that they may straddle the bracket l0, thereby insuring the requisite stren th and rigidity. Suitable means, such as a spring 42, acts on the levers 36 and to relativelyspread the jaws 34 and on their respective upper ends and appropriate means is provided for spreading apart the lower ends of these levers, thereby bringing tl e jaws 34 and 35 thereon toward one another. Preferably and as shown, the lower ends of the levers 36 and 37 are connected by a pair of toggle links 43, the intermed ate pivot a l or" which is operatively engaged by one end of an actuating lever 45. This lever 45 is pivotally mounted on a shaft or pivot 4L6, which latter is fixed in the side members 1 of the frame, and this lever maybe actuated in the appropriate manner and at the proper intervals, by any suitable means, such as by a roller or projection (t7 fixed to its inner end andworking in a cam slot 48 formed in a cam 49, the latter being keyed to the cam shaft '7. The actuating and controlling cam 10 for the cracking jaws, as shown in Figure ll, has its cam groove .48 therein so formed that it embodies an outer portion 48 which, when it engages the roller 4?, will hold, the toggle links 43 in their uppermost flexed PL sition, as shown in Figure 2, the cracking jaws 34: and 35 bethen separated to their maximum extent an intermediate slope 48 which will act on the cooperating roller to lower the intermediate pivot 44; of the toggle links 43 partially to bring the jaws 34f. and 35 into engagement with a nut supported on the lower jaws 28, the jaws at this time acting on the nut merely to position it, the following concentric portion 48 in the cam groove causing the in that position, Thenext following portion 48 of the cam groove which next comes into action is inclined and it causes a further descent of the intermediate pivot pin 44 of the toggle links, the latter being caused to straighten, by which action the cracking jaws 34 and 35 are forced inwardly against the nut supported on the jaws 28 with sufficient pressure to cause the shell to split or crack, the dwell portion 48 of the cam groove serving to maintain this pressure of the jaws momentarily, after which the following receding slope 48 of the cam flexes the toggle links 43 upwardly or into the position shown in Figure 2, thereby retracting the jaws 34 and 35, from the nut, leaving the latter in its cracked condition resting on the lower jaws 28. 7

During the nut cracking operation of the jaws 34 and 35, a resultant downward pressure is imposed upon the lower jaws 28 which support the nut, these jaws 28 at this time being in elevated position. Suitable means is preferably provided for firmly supporting these lower jaws 28 so that they will eflectually sustain the pressure imposed upon them without deflection of or strain upon the jaw supporting lever 29. Such means may consist of a pin 5.0 guided to reciprocate in the sleeve 15, the forward or operative end of this pin being preferably tapered, as shown, and located to engage the under side of a correspondingly formed concavity 51 formed beneath the jaw carrying portion of the lever 29. The pin is longitudinally reciprocable in a bore 52 formed within the sleeve 15 and in the present instance a compression spring 53 acts to throw the pin 50 forward, and hence into engagement with the concavity or seat 51 in the lever 29. When the lever 29 is in its lower position, substantially as shown in Figure 2, the pin 50 is retracted so as to clear the lever 29, but after the latter has beenelevated to its upper position, substantially as shown in Figure 5, the pin 50 is released and its spring 53 is permitted to act to force the pin forward, so that its forward end enters and obtains a solid seating in the concavity 51 in the lever 29, substantially as is shown. in Figure 8. Any suitable means be provided for causing the pin 50 to shift to and from operative position at the appropriate intervals. As shown in the present instance, the rear end of the pin 50 carries a longitudinally adjustable collar 4 and his collar is rranged to be eng ged byan actuating arm 55, the latter being fixed a sh f 6, hi latter is jo nalled on he rear s de of the front fram 2 and has an arm 57 fixed thereto which carries a roller 58. This roller 58 rides on the periphery of one of the cams on the 7 the cam 33 in the present instance,

this cam h ving a cam recess op locatedat a su table po nt in its periphery and in line with the travel of the roller 58. When the roller 58 rests on the unrecessed portion of the periphery of the cam 33, the arm will be held in its rearmost position,

this arm acting through the collar 54 to hold the pin 50 retracted against the action of its spring 53, but when the cam recess 59 reaches the roller 58 the latter drops into such recess, thus allowing the arm 55 and also the pin 50 to move forward under the expansive action of the spring 53, as shown in Fi 9 this being timed to take place after the lever 29 has reached the limit of its upward movement, so that the pin is and solidly against the concavity in said lever. By such a construction, the downward pressure exerted on the jaws 28 is transmitted directly to the rigid frame work of the machine, the lever 29being thus relieved of the duty of sustaining the cracking pressure upon the lower jaws 28. The cracking operation requires only a momentary period of time and as soon asit has been completed, the pin 50 is retractedin free to shoot forward and to seat directly order to permit prompt lowering'ofthe lever 29 to the position shown in Figure 2. For this reason, the cam recess'59 may be of relatively short length, substantially as shown.

support the nut thereon, while the same is being elevated from its conveyer pocket 13, without danger of displacement, and to enable these jaws, together with the cooperat ing jaws 34 and '35, 'to correctly position the nut for the shelling operations and to enable the cracking pressure to be imposed evenly or substantially so throughout the length of the body portion of the shell, the

In order to enable the lower jaws 28 to edges of these jaws, which are preferably 7 of substantially chisel form, are concaved, substantially as shown, so that the edges of these jaws will conform approximately to the shell curvature.

While the nut is pos tioned by the aws 28,

34and 35, but prior to the cracking operation-which is performed by these jaws, the ends of the shell are cut or grooved transversely and circumferentially in planes aid-.

jacent or coincident with the ends of the kernels, it being preferable to cut substantially V,Shaped grooves, substantially as shown at n, n in Figure 7, these grooves being of a depth sufficient to extend through.

suitable cutters. which operate upon the ends of the shell while the 'nut'is held or positioned by the jaws 28, 34 and 35. Preferably and as shown n the present instance,

a pair of oppositely revoluble cutters 60 is.

1,51o,aee

employed, each of these cutters, as shown, being hollow and provided with sawtooth, or other suitable cutting edges, which are circular in form, the cutting-teeth in the present instance having opposite pitches to conform with the opposite directions of rotation of the cutters. When the nut is elevatedby the lower jaws 28, its ends are thereby brought into alinement with the respective cutters, the latter at this time being in relatively separated relation, after which the cutters, which are revolving continuously at a suitable speed are'caused to approach one another and to engage and act upon the respective ends of the shell to form the grooves n therein. After the performance of this operation, the cutters are retracted to permit the nut to be returned to, the eonveyer pocket 13. Different means may be provided for supporting and operating the cutters, as described. As shown in the present instance, the cutters are mounted in suitable bearings, preferably ball bearings 62, attached to the respective free ends of a pair of levers 63, the cutters being located in opposed relation and in substantial alinement. These levers 63 extend rearwardly and have forked rear ends 64 which are mounted on vertical pivot pins 65, the latter being mounted in. the stationary bracket 3 on the frame of the machine, The cutters are driven continuously at relatively high speed for which purpose they may have pulleys 66 fixed on their respective shafts and connected by belts 67 to a pairof driving pulleys 68 of suitable size on the shaft 5. One of the belts 67, the right-hand belt in the present instance, is crossed, in order to secure relatively reverse directions of rotation of the cutters, this being preferable as it causes the turning force applied to the shell by one of the cutters to be opposed and neutralized by the turning force applied to the shell by the other cutter which is turning in an opposite direction, so that it is unnecessary to clamp the nut firmly as would otherwise be required to prevent its turning during the op eration of the end cutters. The pivot pins 65 for the levers 63 are located near the rear shaft 5 or at such a distance from the cutters at the opposite ends of these levers that the swinging movements of the levers 63 which carry the end cutters to and from operative position, are in arcs of such long radii that the relative movements of the cutters aresubstantially in a straight line direc tion; and by locating these pivot pins 65 immediately beside the pulleys 68, the pulleys 66 on the cutter shafts remain substantially equidistantly from their respective driving pulleys 68 during the swinging movements of the levers 63, so that there is no tendency for the belts to run off thelr pulleys, and, moreover, the tension on the belts is not appreciably varied. Appropriate means is provided for swinging the levers 63 toward one another to bring the end cutters into operation at the proper time and for retracting the end cutters. Preferably and as shown in the present instance, an operating lever 69 is employed for this purpose, this lever being fixed to a shaft 70 which latter is mounted in an anti-friction or other suitable bearing 71 fixed to the front frame member 2 of the machine. The lever 69 is pivotally connected at points cu diametrically opposite sides of its shaft 70 to a pair of links 72, the outer ends of these links being pivotally connected at 7 3 to the respective levers 63. The links 72 are preferably so constructed and connected to the lever 69 as to be supported by the lever 69, and these links are preferably so connected to the levers 63 as to support these levers, the lever 69 thereby serving to support and steady the forward ends of the levers 63, thus relieving the pivot pins 65 of this duty and also preventing vibration of the forward ends of the levers 63 during the operation of the machine. The lever 69 is preferably operated by a suitable cam on the cam shaft 7, the cam 74 fixed on the shaft 7 serving this purpose in the present instance, this cam having an appropriately formed cam groove 75 therein which cooperates with a roller 76, the latter being suit-- ably journalled on the inner side'of an up right lever 77. This lever is pivoted at its lower end on the pivot pin or shaft 46 and its upper end is operatively connected, as by a universal joint 78 to the free end of the lever 69, so that the forward and rearward swinging movements of the lever 77 under the action of the cam 74 will actuate the arm 69, the forward swing of the lever 77 swinging the lever 69 in a direction to retract or relatively separate the cutters and the rearward swing of the lever 77 causing the links 72 to draw the levers 63 toward one another, thus bringing the cutters thereon into operative position. The shape of the cam groove 75 is shown in Figure 10, this cam groove having preferably an outer concentric portion 75 which, when engaged by the roller 76, will hold the cutters in r tracted position, a portion 75 which has an inward pitch and which acts on the roller 76 to draw the cutters toward one another and into operative position, the next following portion 75 of the groove having a reducedinward pitch to produce a relatively slow approaching movement of the cutters which provides the feed motion for the cutters while they are operating on the ends of the shell, and the final portion 75 of the cam groove has an outward pitch which serves to quickly retract the cutters followingcompletion of the end cutting operation.

The mode of operation of a nut shelling machine constructed as hereinbefore described is as follows: The nuts to be shelled are introduced into the pockets 13 of the conveyer in any suitable manner, and assuming the shaft to be driven continuously in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, the cam shaft 7 will be revolved continuously in the counter clockwise direction indicated by the arrow in said figure and the cutters 60 will be driven continuously in relatively reverse directions and at a suitably high speed. The first operation to be performed in the sequence con stituting the cycle of operations is the feeding of a nut for the performance of the shelling operations thereon. This is accomplished by the rib 26 on the cam 25, the rotation of the latter through approximately a quarter revolution causing the helically pitched ends of the rib 26 to act on the adjacent rollers 24 on the gear 22 to rotate the latter one step, thereby advancing the conveyer 12 to brmg a pocket 13 thereon containing one nut into a position with the slotsv 27 in'the bottom of the pocket above and V in alinement with the lower jaws 28, the conveyer then stopping and remaining stationary during the remainder of the cycle, and the remaining approximately threequarters of a revolution of the cam shaft 7 being utilized for the performance of the remaining operations of the cycle.

The immediately following part of the revolution of the cam shaft causes the cam 33 thereon to act on the lever 29 to elevate it from its lower position, as shown in Figure 2, into its upper position, as shown sub stantially in Figure 5, in which latter posi tion the lever remains during nearly the next half revolution of the cam shaft. Durin the upward movement of the lever 29 the jaws 28 thereon are carried upwardly through the slots 27 in the bottom of the conveyer pocket which was brought into position above these jaws during the abovedescribed advancement of the conveyor which took place while the jaws 28 were in their lowered position clear of the conveyor.

The upward movement of the jaws 28 brings their upper edges against the bottom of a nut resting in the conveyer pocket and as the upward movement of these jaws continues, they lift the nut which becomes poised on the two jaw edges, substantially as is shown in Figure 6, the nut being lifted until its ends are broughtto substantially the same level with the end cutters 60, whereupon the jaws 28 become stationary. During or immediately following this movement of the nut lifting jaws 28, the cracking jaws 34 and 35 are caused to approach one another and to engage the upper opposite sides of the body of the nut, thisoperation being caused by the cam 49 which acts through the first part of its revolution to rock the lever 45 in a direction to pull the pin 44 downwardly to partially straighten the toggle links 43, the upper ends of the levers 36 and 37 being thereby moved toward one another to bring the jaws 34 and 35 into engagement with the ,nut with a relatively light pressure which will be sufficient to cause the nut to be centered between the three sets of jaws with the ends of the nut in axial alinement with the end cutters and to be held in such position;

lVhile the nut is centered and'held by the three sets of jaws, as just described, the end cutters are caused to approach one another and to operate upon the respective ends of its shell, this relative approaching movement of the cutters being caused by the cam 7 4, the cam groove of which acts on the roller 7 6 of the lever 77 and is so shaped as will appear from Figure 11, that the cutters will swing rapidly inwardly to reach the respective ends of'the nut, after which their inward movement will continue more slowly, the cutters being thereby fed during the cuttingoperation until they have reached the proper depth, whereupon the cutters are re;

tractcd. By thisoperation, the end portions of the shell are circumferentially cut or grooved, substantially as shown at n, n,

Figure 7, preferably to a depth which extends through the thickness of the shell at these points, the cuts or grooves being made most advantageously in transverse planes which lie close to or coincide with the four ends of the kernel halves, but without cut ting through the longitudinal dividing membrane which connects the shell ends so that the latter remain n place and connect 7 ed by the longitudinal membrane, after the end cuttmg'operation has been completed: During or lminediately following the end cutting operation, the cam recess 59 in'the periphery of the cam 33 reaches the roller 58, thus allowing the arm 55 connected to such roller to move forwardly under the action of the spring 53, in consequence of which the pin 50 will shoot forward into engagement with the concavity or seat 51 on the lever 29 directly beneath the jaws 28 thereon, thus locking and firmly supporting the lever 29 in its elevated position, as shown in Fig. 9. Immediately following this operation and while the pin 50 is in its forward position, the cam 49 acts on the arm 45 to rock it furtherand to an extent sufiicient to straighten the toggle links 43,]whereby the cracking jaws 34 and-'35fwhich pre viously merely grippedthe nut to center and hold it in position are caused to exert a cracking pressure on the, body portion of the shell, this pressure being sustained for a momentary; period sufficient tov allow the body of the shell to split'or rend itself, this operation being greatly facilitated F depriving the body portion of the shell of the strength naturally afforded it by the nearly solid ends of the shell but which, during this operation, are isolated from the body of the shell by the transverse circumferential cuts or grooves. The edges of the jaws act on lines extending substantially longitudinally of the body of the shell, and hence the latter will be cracked or split into longitudinal segments. By spacing these jaws to engage the shell equidistantly around its transverse circumference, the body of the shell may be split or divided into segments or. fragments of uniform size.

After the operations above described have been performed, the jaws 34 and 3'5 are fully retracted, the pin 50 is Withdrawn, and the lever 29 is then lowered, the cracked nut resting on the tops of the jaws 28 being thereby lowered until received in the conveyer pocket from which it was removed preparatory to the shelling operations there on. The cam 25 next acts to advance the conveyer one step whereby the pocket containing the cracked nut reaches a position to dump its contents into the chute 16 and the next following pocket on the conveyor brings the nut contained therein into position to'be acted on by the shelling devices, the cycle of operations being thus completed.

The shelled nuts delivered from the machine may be treated in a simple and inexpensive manner to separate the kernels from the shell constituents, screening being suflicient. This operation is greatly facili tated by the circumstances that the kernel halves remain intact during the shell cracking operation and the shell ends remain attached to one another through the connecting membrane, so that the kernel halves can be readily separated from the shell constituents and they will not become mixed with the bitter membrane or fragments thereof.

The present invention enables the shells of the nut to be cracked rapidly and efiiciently by a. relatively light pressure applied in a direction transversely of the shell, the extent of movement required of the cracking jaws in performing this operation being relatively small, and hence insufficient to crush the shell in a manner to break or mutilate the kernel or to cause fragments of the shell to penetrate or adhere to the kernels, the rending or splitting of the body of the shell being greatly facilitated by the previous cutting or grooving of the shell ends, so as to deprive the shell of the strength and in consequence, the resistance to cracking afforded by the nearly solid shell ends. Shattering of the bitter-tasting membrane of the shell and embedding of particles of the bitter membrane in the kernel, which has proved to be an objectionable consequence of cracking nuts by the applicannot become mixed with the kernels, and

also the constituents of the shell are in such form as to enable them to be readily and completely separated from the kernels by a simple method, such as screening, the expensive and laborious hand picking heretofore required being avoided.

The preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to the shelling of pecan nuts is herein shown and described. It will be obvious, however, that by suitably altering the shapes of those parts of the machine which engage the nuts, the machine may be adapted to operate most efficiently on hickory nuts and any other species of nuts having substantially the same characteristics as to shape and making it desirable to employ a similar mode of cracking. It willalso be understood that the machine may be constructed, adjusted or otherwise adapted to shell nuts of any given size, it being generally preferable to grade the nuts as to sizes prior to the shelling thereof, and to feed to the machine only nuts of the one size for which the machine is adapted.

I claim as my invention 1. A nut shelling machine comprising, in combination, means for cutting grooves around the transverse circumference adjacent to the respective ends of a nut, and means for applying a sustained cracking pressure to the body portion of the shell.

2. A nut shelling machine comprising, in combination, means for grooving the shell of a nut transversely around its circumference and adjacent to its ends, and means for gradually applying pressure transversely to the body portion of the shell to crack it.

3. A nut shelling machine comprising, in combination, means for cutting the shell of a nut on lines extending around the transverse ircumference thereof and adjacent to its ends, and means for progressively ap plying ressure transversely and at circumferentia ly spaced intervals to the body portion of the shell.

A nut shelling machine comprising, in combination, cooperative cutters, convergingly movable jaws, means for causing said jaws to converge to engage the nut and thereby center the ends of a nut relatively to said cutters and to subsequently apply transverse cracking pressure to the body portion of its shell, and means for causing the cutters to act subsequently to the positioning movement of said jaws and prior to the cracking operation thereof, to cut the shell of the nut around its transverse circumference and adjacent to its respective ends.-

5. A nut shelling machine comprising, in combination, cooperative cutters adapted to circumferentially groove the shell of a nut adjacent to its respective ends, cooperative convergent jaws adapted to receive a nut between them, and means for operating said jaws to engage a nut and center its ends relatively to said cutters, and for further be operated on by the respective cutters, V and means for forcing said jaws against the body of the shell of the nut to crack it.

1 7. In a nut shelling machine, the combinatlon of. members operative to position a nut,

.and means operative to cut transversely circumferential grooves in the shell adjacent to the ends of the nut, said members being subsequently operative to exert cracking pressure transversely to the body of the shell. v

8. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of nut holding members, a hollow circular cutter movable toward an end of a nut positioned by said holding members and 'operativeto cut a transversely circumferential groove in the shell adjacent to the said end thereof, and means for actuating said members to first hold a nut and subsequently to crack its shell.

9. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of nut holding means, opposed hollow cutters relatively movable toward the respective ends of a nut in the nut holding means, said cutters being operative to cut transversely circumferential grooves in the shell adjacent to the respective ends of the nut, and means operative subsequently to exerta sustained cracking pressure on the body ortion of the shell.

-' 10. n a nut shelling machine, the combination of a pair of opposed hollow circular cutters which are relatively movable in a direction toward and from one another,

-means for holding a nut with its ends in centered relation wlth the respective cutters,

thecutters operating, when relatively moved toward one another, to cut grooves transversely around the shell adjacent to the re spective ends of the nut, and means operative to exert transverse compression on the body portion of the shell to crack it.

11 In a nut shelling machine, the combination of members operative to position the nut, and members operative concurrently on a nut a positioned by said means to cut grooves transversely around the she'll adjacent to the respective endsthereof, and means for causingsaid members to exert transverse compression on the body portion of the shell to crack it. 7

12. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of members relatively movable toward oneanother to position a nut, a pair of hollow circular cutters having means for concurrentlyrevolving. them in opposite 'directions and operative to cut the shell of the V nut positioned by said members transversely around its circumference and adjacent to its respective ends, and means for subsequently moving said members further to ward one another to exert transverse crackllllg 1compression on the body portion of the s iel V I 13. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of opposed substantially axially alined cutters,and jaws relatively movable convergently toward the axis of the cutters,

said jaws being operative "to center a nut with its ends in positions to be operated upon by the respective cutters. v

V 14. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of a conveyer carrying a nut holding pocket, and co-nvergently-arranged nut-positioning aws a part ofwhich is operativeto remove a nut from the pocket on the conveyer and to carry it into position to beengaged by the otherjaws.

15. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of a conveyer carrying a nut hold ing pocket, and pairs of convergently related nut-positioning jaws one pair of which is movable throughthe conveyer pocket to remove a nut therefrom and to conduct it to a position between said jaws, V V i 16. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of a conveyor having a nut supporting pocket provided with a slotted bottom, jaws movable vertically through the slotted bottom of said pocket to remove a nut therefrom, and cooperative jaws to engage the nut removed by the first-mentioned aws. V

17. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a conveyer carrying a set of equidistantly-spaced nut holding pockets, means for advancing the'conveyer intermittently to bring the pockets thereon suo'cessively into a predetermined position, the bottoms of the pockets having openings therein, means operative vertically through the opening in the bottom of a pocket while in said predetermined position to lift a nut from such pocket, and cooperative jaws to engage the nut thus lifted. V r 18. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of feeding means for advancing nuts to be shelled, and cooperative nut cracking jaws, one of said jaws being operative to receive the nuts from the feeding means and to place them in cracking position between said jaws.

19. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of a pair of opposed cutters adapted to operate on the ends of a nut, a

conveyer having pockets to convey nuts successively to a position adjacent to said cutters, and means movable in one direction relatively to said pocket to remove a nut therefrom and to present it to said outters and movable in an opposite direction to return the nut to the pocket from which it was removed.

20. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of opposed cutters adapted to receive a nut between them and to operate on the ends of such nut, an intermittently movable conveyer carrying pockets each adapted to contain a nut, and means operative vertically through each pocket, as the same reaches a predetermined position, to remove the nut therefrom and to support it in position between said cutters.

21. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of relatively movable cracking jaws, lifting jaws for conducting a nut to be cracked to said cracking jaws and for supporting the nut during the cracking operation, means including an arm for operating said lifting jaws, and a device acting independently of said operating means for locking said lifting jaws during the nut cracking operation.

22. In a nut shelling machine, cooperative convergently arranged cracking jaws movable in a common plane and having substantially parallel longitudinal concave edges to engage the shell of a nut at intervals around its transverse circumference, means for actuating some of said jaws to center and crack a nut, and means for actuating another of said jaws to introduce a nut into a. position between the jaws for centering and cracking it.

23. In a nut shelling machine comprising, in combination, nut-feeding jaws adapted to support and carry a nut into shelling position, cooperative cracking jaws movable convergently with respect to the feeding jaws and arranged to engage a nut supported in shelling position thereon, and means for imparting successive steps of convergent movement to the cracking jaws, one of which steps causes the jaws to center the nut in shelling position and a subsequent step causing said jaws to perform a cracking operation upon the nut.

24. A nut shelling machine comprising, in combination, cutters to operate on the ends of a nut, nut-feeding jaws operative to carry a nut into operative relation with said outters, cooperative cracking jaws cooperative= ly related with the feeding jaws, and means for imparting successive convergent movements to the cracking jaws one of which movements causes said jaws to center a nut relatively to the cutters and another of which movements causes said jaws to perform a cracking operation on the nut.

25. A. nut shelling machine comprising, in combination, a pair of opposed axially alined cutters to operate on the respective ends of a nut, vertically movable aw-means for lifting and supporting a nut with its ends centered axially with respect to said cutters, cracking jaws relatively movable convergently with respect to each other and said jaw-means, and means for imparting successive steps of convergent movement to said cracking jaws to respectively cause the latter to center the ends of a nut on said jaw-means with the respective cutters and to subsequently perform a cracking operation upon the nut.

26. A nut shelling machine comprising, in combination, a pair of opposed cutters capable of relative approaching and separating movements, jaw-means for carrying a nut into a position between said cutters when the latter are relatively separated, cracking jaws relatively movable convergently with respect to said jaw-means to cooperate with the latter to center the ends of a nut thereon with respect to said cutters, means for causing relative approaching movement of the cutters to operate on the re spective ends of a nut while centered by said j aw-means and cracking jaws and for subsequently separating the cutters, and means for operating the cracking jaws to perform a cracking operation on the nut.

27. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of a main frame, opposed nut-oracle ing jaws, nut-feeding jaw-means movable relatively to the cracking jaws to introduce a nut in cracking position between said jawmeans and the cracking jaws, an arm for operating the jaw-means, a device for supporting said aw-means directly on the frame while said jaw-means is in nut-cracking position.

28. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of a frame, a set of convergently movable nut-cracking jaw members having levers for supporting and operating them, the pivot of one of said levers being remote from the jaw thereon and a pin supported on the frame and operative on the latter lever at a point adjacent to its jaw to lock such lever in nut cracking position.

29. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of a frame, a pair of levers pivoted thereon and carrying opposed convergentlymovable nut cracking jaws, a lever also pivcted to the frame and carrying jaw-means for carrying a nut into cracking position re ti ely t said cra king jaws and co p:

erative with the latter to crack a nut, and a reciprocatory pin supported in the frame and movable into a position to engage and support said jaw-means directly on the frame when the jaw-means is in nut cracking position.

30. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of jaw-means for supporting a nut in cracking position, and a pair of opposed pivoted levers carrying cracking jaws which are relatively movable convergently relatively to said jaw-means, means for locking said jaw-means in nut cracking position, and means for operating said levers to cause the jaws thereon to exert a convergent pressure upon a nut supported by said jaw-means.

31. In a nut shelling machine, the combi nation of a pair of intermediately-pivoted levers carrying convergentlvarranged nut cracking jaws at one side of their pivots, a toggle operatively connecting said levers at the. opposite side of their pivots, means for carrying a nut into the path of said jaws and for supporting the nut in such position, and means for partially straightening the toggle to bring the cracking jaws into centering relation with the nut and for subsequently imparting a further straightening movement to the toggle to cause the cracking jaws to impose a cracking pressure upon the nut.

32. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of an intermittently-momble conveyer carrying an open-topped pocket to contain a nut, the bottom of the pocket having slots therein, and a pair of jaws mov able vertically through the slots in the bottom of the pocket while the conveyer is at rest, to engage the nut in the pocket on the upper edges of such jaws and to thus lift the nut from the pocket.

33. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of pairs of opposed downwardlyconvergent jaws, an intermittently movable conveyer having nut containing pockets thereon for successively conveying nuts to a position beneath said jaws, and lifting jaws movable vertically through the bottom'of a pocket while the conveyer is at rest to remove a nut from such pocket and to carry it into operative position between said convergent jaws.

34:. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of means for bringing a nut into a predetermined position and for supportin it in such position, a pair of cutters adapted to operate upon the respective ends of a nut to cut its shell around its transverse circumference, and a pair of pivoted arms carrylng said cutters and capable of relative approaching and receding movements to carry the cutters to and from operative relation with therespective ends of a nut occupying said predetermined position.

35. In a nut shelling machine, the combination of means for holding a nut in a predetermined position, a pair of opposed pivoted levers carrying toward their free ends cutters adapted to operate on the respective ends of a nut to cut the shell thereof around its transverse circumference ad acent to its respective ends, and means con transverse circumference adjacent toits end,

jaw-means operative to support a nut with its ends centered with respect to said outters and capable of performing a transverse cracking pressure on the body of the nut, means for continuously revolving said cutters, and a cam shaft having cams thereon for automatically operating said jawmeans to center the ends of-a nut relatively to the respective cutters, for then bringing the cutters into operation upon the respective ends of a nut so centered and r r -1 ingthe cutters, and for subsequently operating the jaw-means to perform a cracking operation upon the nut. 4

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in 'presence'of two subscribing wit-. nesses.

' RALPH A. GLEASON.

Witnesses: r 7

ADAM A. Konis, WM. J. HUNT. 

